A Promise so hard to keep
by Envy-Girl-90
Summary: This is my first story, im in love with the film! its basically rose trying to make it in life by escaping cal and so on it really good and diff to how it sounds
1. A promise so hard to keep

A promise so hard to keep

**A promise so hard to keep.**

Rose stepped of the ship, she turned and looked at the ship, she laughed manically, how bizarre she hadn't wanted to come to America, she hadn't wanted to go aboard Titanic, and she was she'd arrived in America starting a new life, and aboard the Carpathia, but she was different changed somehow, gone was the first class girl being forced through her life, and here on the dock was a shell of a woman, she was wearing her first class gown, but after the sinking and being in and out of icy water her gown had become dishevelled and shapeless, the mans jacket she wore smelt of salt and a little bit of jack, she felt her skin in the places he had last touched, her face devoid of emotion as she was trying to be back on the ship, to be with him.

The staff from the dock had roped of a area and had the daunting task of herding the passengers from titanic into the cordoned off area, Rose felt scared at the prospect as she was being practically dragged there, she kept her head down and listened to the speech, she looked out from the corner of her eyes, she froze she saw them, her mother was looking around her hair in disarray and Cal, well he was supporting her, both were crying, she let out a little chuckle, Cal crying my he must of loved her, the man that had been dragging her to this area looked at her, saw the first class gown, but saw the knotted hair and wondered if she was first class why was she such a mess.

Rose was left standing there, she kept her head trained on her feet she looked at her gorgeous shoes, ruined and she wondered if anyone could see that her heart was in very much the same state. Rose started walking, with no sense of where she was going to end up, she heard people sobbing and asking for names of a list, and she walked into someone, she looked up _"Watch where you're going young lady."_ A well turned out man said

"_Oh my, I am so sorry"_

"_Rose? Rose Dewitt Bukater"_ Rose froze at the mans mention of her old name. She saw a man pushing his way through the crowd as the man that had just blown her secret held onto her arm.

"_No sorry you must be mistaken."_ Rose garbled trying to pull away

"_Caledon, this is your Rose isn't it?"_ the unknown man was addressing the man that had just arrived out of the crowd.

"_Why yes it is, Rose, Rose come here your mother and I so worried, I told you that I had another boat to get me to safety, come to your mother and I."_ he thanked the man and gave him some money and he hurried Rose to the car and told one of the stewards taking names that Rose Dewitt Bukater was safe."

Sitting in the car Rose took herself away she listened to the endless chatter of cal and her mother, both complaining of how they were going to write a letter of complaint to the white star line and the fact that they were claiming there money back for the belongings lost. Rose felt the tears streaming down her face silently, as she thought of jack.


	2. Trapped Again

** Trapped again.**

They pulled up to the Dewitt Bukater mansion, Rose didn't even wait for anyone to open the door to the car, she flung it open and ran into the house and up to her room, it smelt so much like the past, of her father, she stepped out of the ruined dress and hid the necklace. She put on her dressing gown and started to prepare a bath when one of the maids came and took over. Rose simply smiled at her and got into the bath the maid started to pull the tangles out of Roses hair. Rose looked at the filthy water, who would have known she had got so dirty; the maid started talking to her, telling her how her Mother and Cal were in their rooms doing the same thing. Rose sighed and closed her eyes.

Rose lay on her bed in her nightgown and thought of jack, she saw his face, she thought she could smell him; Cal knocked on her door and came in,

"_Oh Rose, we have so much to do before the gala, nothing that happened on that ship shall be repeated ok, only the few people that know of jack know that he saved your life, that is all."_

"_Yes cal"_

"_Rose I do love you, I always will."_ Rose simply looked at him and smiled.

The sun rose and shone into Rose's room; she woke up and rang a bell waiting for her maid Trudy to come get her dressed, and then she remembered, Trudy was gone, titanic was gone and that meant jack was gone.

The maid who had given her a bath last night came in, _"Miss Rose you rang, shall I fetch your corset"_ rose looked at the maid and thought of how if she had woken with jack this morning, a corset would be the thing of the past.

"_Yes please that would be delightful"_ she forced a smile

"_What do you feel like wearing Miss Rose?" _the maid was paused at the wardrobe waiting for Roses outfit choice

"_Something black please."_

The Maid started tightening the corset when Rose started to sob silently, the maid didn't know whether to fetch someone or to continue, and she finished tightening the corset and then turned her mistress to face her

_"Miss are you ok?"_ she looked genuinely concerned and Rose just felt her resolve collapse.

"_No, No I am not fine, I'm not what they want me to be, I want to be free, I wish to do something with my life and that is just not what society women do. I was made to work, I was made to do something other then throw endless parties and birth children that will just be what society wants of them, I want to marry for love, not for money." _

"_Miss Rose, be strong, for true power outs in the end no matter how much money or world power you have, it is the power of the soul that will win, so just bear with life, because god, he does everything for a reason Miss Rose."_

Rose smiled at her maid and realised she liked this one more then Trudy, she stepped into her gown and let the maid fasten her dress for her, she told the maid to be simple with her hair, Rose looked in the mirror at the finished look, her fiery red curls looked dull in her eyes, but come to think of it her eyes looked like they had died.

She sat at the table placed the napkin on her lap and took small bites of her breakfast, a first class lady never let the façade slip, she looked up from her plate and saw cal grinning like a cat that got the cream, Ruth however looked disgusted.

"_Rose, why are you in black?"_

"_Mother, are you unaware that just 4 days ago we were on a sinking ship and I lost the love of my life?"_

At that cal got up shot around the table and slapped rose. Rose looked at cal in utter shock; she pushed her chair back and fled the dining room ignoring the pleas of her mother.

Where could she go to, she could pack her bags and run and be free, or she could go with nothing, she stopped in the garden the sun streamed down, Rose sat in the long grass and cried, she let out almighty body wracking sobs. She felt someone lift her up and saw cal from underneath her sodden lashes he stroked her hair and hummed to her.

He lay her down on the bed and stroked her hair until her body stopped shaking. He dried her tears and then her held her until she fell asleep, or at least he thought she was asleep, from under her lashes she watched cal walk around her room, saw him picking things up and admiring them, she watched him take out gowns and she watched him sit in front of the mirror, pick up a photo and talk to it, heard him mumbling about how he loved her and she detested him, and how it broke his heart to not see her eyes light up like they had for jack. Rose allowed herself to drift off, because it would be easier then trying to make it through the day.

When her eyes opened it was dark she looked at the clock it was going on nine she was surprised her mother let her sleep through the day and through dinner.

She gently swung her legs of the bed and opened the door, she crept down the stairs into the kitchen and got herself some food and some milk, feeling relaxed she let herself smile for the first time since jack had died she had a true smile. She didn't know why she was smiling but she was.

She crept back up the stairs and looked through the door to Cal's room, she thought she could make an effort with him, to respect jack, she did say she would live. She went back to her room and shut the door, not much had changed since before they had gone to Europe, since before Titanic, the book she had been reading was on the bedside table still, her shoes that she had left on the floor were still there and her brush she had thrown in a stress was still there, the only difference to the room was now the lavender dress was there washed, and had obviously been left to dry on a mannequin because the dress looked just like it had before the sinking, it smelt clean, she hung it in the far back of her wardrobe, she still felt exhausted, so she undressed, let her hair down, cut her corset up as to not wake the maid, she climbed into her nightgown and slept.


	3. Friends

** Friends.**

Rose was awoken the next day by the maid who had binned the corset, without alerting Ruth to destroyed mess, she had run a hot bath for Rose and had a big grin on her face.

"_Why are you so happy Ellen?"_ Rose enquired

"_Your mother has been given some money by Mr. Hockley to take you shopping to cheer you up."_

"_I see, Ellen I would like to wear black again. So please find me a suitable black dress, as plain as it can be."_

"_No Miss I'm afraid your mother said a nice colour and nothing simple, your hair has to be done elegantly."_

Rose sighed and just allowed the maid to dress her, and as she walked down the stairs she bit her lip to stop herself from screaming out, as her mother made endless chatter and greeted people like nothing had happened Rose remained silent.

As they entered the big department store, Rose gasped, one thing she loved about first class was the gowns, they were all lovely, she looked for her mother who was regaling some shop assistant with the story of Titanic, and Rose wandered off and started looking, she was admiring a gown when she heard someone sobbing, she looked around the side of the display and saw Madeline Astor, crying on a chair, Rose approached her.

"_Madeline? Are you ok?"_

"_No Rose I'm not, everyone's just carrying on, I miss my John, my love. He died all alone, all alone, so I shall live my life alone, for me and my son, it will be a boy Rose, no-one understands, no-one, to loose your soul mate, leaves you empty inside."_

"_I know Maddie; look at me I know, look in my eyes they're the same as yours empty and hollow."_ Madeline looked into Roses eyes and saw the emptiness in them.

"_But why? Caledon's alive, as is your mother."_ Madeline moved her hand to her mouth in shock; she whispered the next bit to Rose

"_The steerage boy."_ Rose nodded barely breathing.

The two women stared at each other both knowing that they had been judged by society for falling in love with people that didn't conform to the rules, and then they hugged, Friends through the knowledge that both were trapped in the wrong lives.


	4. Drowning

** Drowning.**

Cal sat bolt upright in his bed it was May 24th and that meant that it was the engagement gala, he let a small smile cross his lips as he thought of the Dawson fellow, how he thought he could have his fiancée he would never know. He got up and walked across the landing to look through Roses door, he could see her body through the see through of her nightgown she had been in the throws of a bad dream and the sheets were in disarray on the floor, he could see the outline of her nipples, which were slightly hard due to the slight chill, he thought of what the thin material was clinging to near the top of her thighs and he felt himself stirring. He thought of just running in there and taking her as she slept, he jumped as he heard the maids coming up the stairs.

"_Good morning sir"_ Ellen curtsied, her breath caught in her chest, she looked at cal from underneath her lashes he was glaring at her with strong distain.

"_Ellen, I trust you to make sure that Rose has 2 baths today and make sure she is in a state of absolute perfection, make sure that the gowns she will wear today are gorgeous and make sure tonight she has everything flawless."_ With that cal flounced off.

Ellen scurried into the room and awoke her mistress. Rose beamed at her,

"_Good morning Ellen"_

"_Morning miss"_

"_I presume you have been told to pick my clothes out for me?"_

"_Yes Miss"_

"_Don't call me Miss call me Rose"_

"_Yes Miss… I Mean Rose"_

"_Well anyway don't pick my dress, I would like to dress myself today and that involves picking the dress, you will have to help with the corset of course, but other than that you shall sit on my bed and read."_

"_But Miss ... I mean Rose, that's not a maid's job."_

"_It is not a woman's job to do nothing, you are a woman like me and yet you do more things then I, if one woman is considered fragile all women should be, and I look a damn sight stronger then you. I shall here no more of it I'm going to bathe." _

Rose looked in the mirror and beamed she had her fire back; she was going to follow jacks wishes.

Rose carried herself down the stairs with all the poise she could, she was wearing a lavender gown her and Madeline Astor had picked out that day shopping, she knew it would annoy mother, she had left her fiery red hair loose around her shoulders with a tiny amethyst studded butterfly clip in it. As she expected her mother looked at her with a look of disgust and Rose grinned broadly at her mother, she knew in her head that her mother was reminded of another time another lavender dress and another smile on her daughters face.

Rose surveyed all the goings on around her she looked at all the preparations and felt somewhat not there, she didn't belong in this world, rose didn't stop walking as she crossed the hallway she opened the front door and just kept on walking all the way to the Astor's townhouse.

"Rose, come in how are you, you must be feeling grand because your not wearing a jacket and its freezing."

"Its not so bad Maddie, I just came by to see if you will still be attending tonight."

"Of course I shall for you are my only friend these days, well my only true friend."

Rose smiled and scooped Maddie into a hug.

"I must go now Maddie I shall see you later"

Rose waved and ran out of the door. As she was walking along the pavement she saw a horse drawn carriage, she pulled out 10 dollars and asked to be taken to the New York docks.

Rose flew to the very end of the docks; she crouched down to see into the water

"_Oh jack, am I doing what you wanted or have I given in, I'm so scared jack, so very very scared" She let a tear escape her eye_

"_I'm trapped again the fire it will die out, it is dyeing out, I was going to be free I was but they returned me to Cal they found me. I'm so so sorry. I miss you so much, I love you so much, I need you jack I need you." _

As she let the last word roll of her tongue she let the tears come thick and fast she let her body rack with sobs, she moved ever so slightly forward and she felt the dock run out beneath her she let her body fall.

Splash she was in the Atlantic ocean yet again, but now she was alone, she let her self sink, hoping for jack to meet her.

On the dock a man was sprinting to get to the young woman who had just literally fallen of the dock into the water not even trying to stop herself from doing so he kicked of his shoes and dived in, he opened his eyes to see her, the salt stung his eyes but he saw the glimpse of lavender as the young lady settled on the bottom of the docks floor, he grabbed her from the waist and swam upwards, as the fresh air hit his lungs he looked for the nearest ladder and swam for it he slung himself up and dragged the young lady up, she coughed and a lot of water came out, she opened her eyes and whispered a name, the young man lent closer and heard her murmuring "_jack, its so cold jack, jack the boats have come jack." _And then that was it she passed out

Rose opened her eyes, she wasn't in heaven and jack was no were around she was in a building with a lot of fishing stuff on a bed she was covered with a mans jacket, she felt damp, and it all came flooding back to her, "oh no" she gasped, she got off the bed quickly and located the door with her eyes and she ran, as fast as she had with jack, to escape, to not have to answer questions she ran away from the dock ignoring the young man who was screaming "Miss, Miss Your clip, your hair clip miss."

Rose snuck into the house through her secret passageway, she snuck up the servants stairs and into her room she called Ellen to help remove her corset, to her credit Ellen didn't ask why it was wet she just took it away and ran rose a hot bath, she rinsed her hair and put pins in it to give her naturally curly hair and more defined look, she watched as rose settled on her bed with a book in her nightgown

"Rose, are you going to nap before the gala? It shall be a long evening, you have about 2 hours before we need to start getting you ready"

"No Ellen I'm going to read, do come when I need to start getting ready" Rose smiled.

As her maid left Rose thought about the man that had just saved her life, and thought of the other man that had saved her life, funny both involved water, she thought of the mans chiselled looks he was more like cal then he was jack looks wise, but he was probably more like jack in the way he jumped to a strange ladies aid, she wondered if she should of stopped and spoken to him.

Rose put on one of her dressing gowns and she went onto her balcony, she basked in the May sunshine. She started to read her book, letting the sun dry her hair.


	5. Engagement Gala

** Engagement Gala**

Rose looked in the mirror she looked breathtaking, she had on a deep purple gown that was gathered at the back and was tired down to the floor and had a small train the entire body of the skirt was pure silk and there was 5 layers so that it didn't look to thin on the bottom, the top was a fitted bodice, covered with beads around the arms and the chest line, she had her hair up elegantly with diamond grips, she had diamond earrings in her ears and a diamond necklace, her face was perfectly made up, her skin looked glowing and she had a deep red lipstick on. How she wished it was jack at the bottom of the stairs again.

The room stopped and stared as rose and cal entered the ball room, people congratulated cal and tried to speak to rose about the wedding arrangements, rose danced with cal and people watched in awe, but rose felt lost she was smiling yes, but she just wanted the night to be over so she could sleep.

"Rose"

"Maddie" rose beamed at her best friend.

"How are you holding up? It's pretty intense isn't it?"

"Oh Maddie I just so want the whole thing to be over, I just.." her voice tailed to a whisper " I just wish this was all to be with jack forever."

"No rose don't say that, please you know how cross Cal will get, don't make him hurt you rose, please your all I have left in the world." Rose's head snapped up at that comment

"Madeline you have your child and that is a little piece of the man you love, I have nothing" she hissed the last word and she stormed out of the ballroom, Cal had noticed the whole exchange and followed Rose, she sat on her bed and Cal followed her in, he sat next to her and Rose froze up, he hugged her kissing the small of her neck, which caused him to stir. She pushed him away

"Not now Cal, no until were married."

"Oh Rosie don't tease me" she moved away still and he forced her onto her back

"I said NO." she raised her voice slightly

Cal forced his tongue into her mouth he pushed her skirts up around her waist, he ripped her underwear away and forced his fingers into her, she cried out in pain, she called jacks name for help, cal pushed harder with his fingers making her cry out again he undid his trousers as she kicked and hit him he slapped her and forced himself into her, he smiled she was warm and soft he pushed at her roughly and pulled her up so she could see his face, he grinned and pushed harder she had tears streaming down her face she felt the blood running down her leg from the force of him, she remembered jack and how gentle he had been and that made her cry more, the door burst open causing cal to pull out and come all over her stockings. She looked up to see Maddie looking at everything she looked at cal hastily fixing himself to rose crying, her hair coming out and her underwear ripped, she ran away as fast as she could to get someone, cal chased after her and pushed her against the wall

"You saw nothing, nothing ok Mrs. Astor, is that clear."

"You raped her Mr. Hockley since we are being so formal."

"She is my wife in practice if not by law, so she shall honour me."

"She is also allowed to say no, now unhand me, because I am not your wife."

He let her go, and she ran to her car and told the driver to take her straight home she would call rose over for tea tomorrow she couldn't marry that man she would not allow it, she was going to save rose.


	6. Saving Rose

**Saving Rose.**

At breakfast the next morning rose said nothing ate little and didn't look up once. She heard Cals voice breaking into her thoughts.

"Sweet pea I finish at the office early today maybe we could go for a drive, around about 5?"

"Yes Cal."

"Ruth as I am going away tomorrow I feel that myself and rose should be alone tonight I have paid for you to go for a meal, how about that sweet pea?"

"Yes Cal" Rose knew what occurred last night would now become regular she had no safety now. Cal's man servant entered the room to take him to work. he kissed rose on the cheek and whispered in her ear "Until tonight my love" rose fought hard not to be sick on the table.

She changed into something more appropriate for the day and got the car to take her to the Astor mansion, she waited in the tea room for Madeline

"_Oh Maddie"_ Rose collapsed onto her friend sobbing uncontrollably, Maddie hugged her friend tightly

"_I am going to save you Rose Dewitt Bukater"_

"_Oh Maddie my only safety would have been jack, or death."_

"_No rose, no, you are to pack and I am going to take a vacation to my home in Santa Monica and I am going tomorrow you are coming go home pack whatever you will need for your new life."_

"_Maddie, Cal won't let me go that easily; he has so much power..."_

"_And I am an Astor; I am the richest woman in New York at present, so in this battle of power I win."_

Rose looked at her friend and wondered where all this strength had come from. She left the house by lunchtime knowing the house would be empty, she selected a gown she hated to wear to dinner tonight and a gown she liked for the travel tomorrow, when she got a telegram:

_**Rose,**_

_**Having to leave today, my mans fetched a case with some clothes in for me, sorry sweet pea, I will be home in 5 days.**_

_**Love always Cal**_

Rose sighed, she knew it would be easier this way, she went into Cals room and took all the money she could find, she found 5000 cash lying around, she pocketed it, she pulled out her travelling trunk and put her favourite shoes, she put in her nightgowns, she put in some evening dresses and all of her day dresses, she put the 5000 in and then some jackets, thick and thin, she gathered some corsets and underwear, she packed her hair stuff, some make up, she had space for two more items and she knew she needed them she found her dress and the coat from the sinking she found 3000 in the pocket of the coat she took half out of that, to set Ellen free, she grabbed her smaller travelling trunk and filled her jewellery box to the brim, she shoved the heart of the ocean in there, she ran down to the library and packed her books and photos, she had cleared her room of all the stuff she could want and stuff she liked, she knew anything else she could get, she went to the safe cal kept and emptied that of money.

She got a small present for Maddie and the Baby to say thank you. She wandered around aimlessly knowing this would be the last time for a long time that she would see New York, she needed a camera, yes a camera she would buy one in Santa Monica.

The car pulled up the following morning rose flew down the stairs, the men fixing the trunks to the car, she sat in the car next to Maddie and she was shaking, they didn't say a word until they had left New York.

"_Oh Maddie __I'm free aren't I? They won't know where I've gone will they, you won't tell?"_

"_Rose why on earth would I? I understand and after what I saw, you need this"_ Rose blushed

"_here I got you this"_ she presented Madeline with a gorgeous necklace with a sapphire attached and a set of blankets and a voucher to get them engraved, one was blue on was pink

"_Oh rose you shouldn't have, but __I'm going to give birth here, I'll be back by august._

"_Good oh Maddie how I will miss you."_ The two women embraced.

"_Look we're here"_


	7. Meeting the 2nd Man to save Rose

** Meeting the second man to save Rose Dewitt Bukater**

Rose looked at the beach from the balcony, she saw all the people having fun and living there lives. She had been alone for 5 days now, which meant cal would know she was gone, she was worried he would find her, but then she realized she had never told him, she wanted to come here.

Rose got dressed her made Ellen had come with her just to help her with her corset after that Ellen was free to do as she wished, she put on a sky blue gown, she left her hair down and pushed the stray bits away from her face with a clip, she put on a lightweight coat and went for a walk.

Rose came to a shop she needed some new underwear, and she had heard about this underwear that wasn't a corset and she wanted it, she picked some up and put it in her basket. She was walking around when she walked into someone

"_Oh sorry I didn't mean to walk into you."_

"_No that's fine, entirely my fault"_ the man looked up and saw the bright red hair

"_Your, her that lady that I saved from the water that, was you, please don't run away I have your clip."_

Roses face paled _"I'm sorry I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. I have never needed saving from the water."_

"_No I wouldn't forget miss; your hair is so unique. I remember."_

_"my name is Rose"_

_"Hello my names Charles Calvert"_


	8. 1922

1922

Rose was strolling around her garden with her baby bump growing proudly under her gown, the year was 1922, ten years since titanic ten years since jack, and ten years since she met the man she was now married to. Her red hair was tied back with a ribbon and she was wearing a light green gown and her usually pale skin had a glow to it, she had colour in her cheeks, Charles came running down the path,

"_Rose, Rose"_

She laughed at his urgent demeanour _"Yes my love?"_

"_Pack your case, were going on a journey."_

"_What? Charlie where could we go?"_

"_On a ship, The RMS Majestic, she launches in a week April 12__th__ 1922, I got us tickets, it's an amazing opportunity to go to England for a few days, and it would be a treat for us, a delight. And it will mean we will pass over the Titanic the ship might maybe have a moment for us to mourn there?."_

"_Charlie, is that not surely tempting fate it has the same journey as Titanic, the same dates of travel, and by the same company? We didn't know anyone on titanic, why do we need to do this?"_ Rose was panicking.

"_Because, I said so a man can treat his wife, in a few months we will be a family and I won't be able to just whisk you away. So please let me do this for you? Let me take you somewhere you haven't been."_

"_Ok Charlie." _She kissed him on the cheek _"I'm going to lie down and then I will start packing."_

"_Ok Rose, I shall start driving to New York tomorrow, it should take four days to get to the docks and then we will sleep in my old hut."_

Rose lay on her bed her mind in turmoil, she loved Charlie and couldn't tell him why she didn't want to go, but this was hard enough for her, she wouldn't sail that route again she couldn't, she would think of jack every single day she fell into a awful sleep dreaming of the ship going down she saw her ad jack on top of the ship, looking down at people falling screaming into the sea, she remembered looking into the deep dark ocean and seeing it gobble up the ship.

When she awoke Charlie was packing things from his wardrobe, she watched him from under her lashes, the way his mouth curled, the way he selected things from the closet, the way he repeatedly checked on her to make sure she was ok and sleeping soundly, she made sounds to show that she was stirring.

"_Afternoon Rose flower."_

"_Afternoon darling."_

She got up and straightened her dress out. That was another thing Rose was happy about she didn't wear gowns anymore, she wore dresses, and skirts and shirts, she didn't have to wear a corset anymore, she was second class these days and a lot happier then she was in first class.

"_Have you got my case down?"_ Charlie nodded and placed the trunk on her side of the bed. Rose went into her closet and looked at all her old gowns, ones she had worn in her first class days, she stroked the soft silks, she selected some boots, and several pairs of shoes, she selected three skirts that finished just above the ankle, she selected 8 dresses that finished in the middle of her leg, below the knee, she selected three blouses and three lightweight jackets, she selected some evening dresses, and then she saw it hanging there, Cals coat and the lilac gown she had come close to death in, she fingered the hem of the dress, should she take it, her mark of respect for jack. She picked it out and found the matching shoes and jacket. She packed everything, she added her hair stuff and some powder and other pieces of make up for her face.

"_We should get a early night my darling, I mean you will be driving for such long periods, we shall need lots of energy."_

"_Ok, have you picked your outfits to travel in?"_ rose nodded as she slipped her nightgown on.

"_Night Rose."_

"_Night Charles."_


	9. Meeting at the Stern

"_Oh look Rose, isn't she grand? The sheer size."_

"_Its lovely Charlie, may we board now?"_

"_Yes, yes and get settled into our rooms, as a treat I got us a first class room. And Caledon Hockley is on board I think."_

Rose froze, "_The Pittsburgh steel tycoon?"_

"_Yes darling the very same, I think they have invited a lot of the Titanic survivors, well the important ones anyway." _

"_Oh." _

Rose looked around in a state of panic, is cal was here then the chances that her mother would be as well, they boarded the ship and Rose fought her hardest not to look around and try and locate them, she was struck with a strange sense of déjà vu as well, Charles was telling her details of the ship the same as Cal had the last time she'd set sail on a ship.

Rose was settling into her room she'd unpacked her stuff she looked all around it was the same style as Titanic; the room was smaller because it wasn't a suite, but it still gave her an eerie sense of déjà vu. Rose stood in front of the mirror and let her hair down out of the plait. She was 27 and yet she still had the hair she had the last time she was on a ship; she excused herself from the room and found a young girl with a bobbed hair style.

"_How old are you?"_ Rose asked the young lady.

"_Almost 23." _

"_Who bobbed your hair?"_

"_I did."_

"_Would you be able to bob mine?"_

"_Of course I can, but not now, tomorrow maybe?" _

"_Yes that's excellent." _

Rose gave the woman a warm smile and she set about exploring. She was wandering aimlessly round the inside of the ship, and she found herself subconsciously tracing the steps she took to save Jack, the interior of the ship was exactly the same as Titanic and she found herself at the master of arms room. When she saw him with the master at arms, He was smiling, and laughing and handing over money, nothing had changed then.

Night time fell and rose had already spotted several of the ships sailors that were on board during titanic, she saw Cal he had two beautiful twin daughters and a son, His wife was talking to non other then Roses mother, she could see it was the "mindless" Chatter of first class and her and Charlie were sitting here debating politics, it was clear that only some people in first class had changed since the war.

"_I'm going for some air Charlie."_

"_Would you like me to come?" _

"_No you stay here enjoy the music, enjoy your pudding." _She smiled.

"_Oh Rosie you know me so well."_ She kissed him on the forehead and smiled.

Rose was walking around the deck, taking in the sea air she wandered down the deck she stayed far away from the railings. She knew she was close to the wreck, she knew she was closer to jacks body then she had been in ten years. She found herself at the Stern of this ship, and she leant right over, and took a deep breath, she held onto the railings and stepped up, she took her hair out of the ribbon and let the sea breeze blow through her red curls. She closed her eyes and let the tear escape from her eyes; she imagined another stern, another ship, a different dress, and a different set of tears.

"_Miss?"_ Rose jumped with shock; she hastily wiped her eyes and stepped down, she hastily put her hair up and turned around to face the male voice.

"_Sorry I wanted to feel the breeze in my hair"_

"_I understand miss but it's not entirely safe, and well in your condition_." Rose stood half shrouded by the darkness; she stared in shock this was the man to save her from the sea.

"_Oh yes, my condition, so do you often come to this end of the ship."_

"_No, I came here tonight because I know where I am."_

"_I see, you know your approaching the titanic wreck then?"_

"_Miss, how did you know?"_

"_I just do, I also know that you were on the Titanic, an officer were you not?"_

"_Yes I was, I was so excited, it was my first journey across the Atlantic, I was young very young I was eighteen, I was so excited being so close to the rich, they smelled of money they did, and being so close to the poor, the smelt hopeful, not one person in the lower decks of steerage cared that they were locked away they were always happy and laughing and always talking of America, do you know that over half of them perished, no more laughing all I remember was there cry's, I saw gates being locked to keep them down there, like dogs, it was awful, I remember rowing away and seeing a dog, paddling away shaking with cold and then it just stopped paddling and died."_

"_Oh my that sort of image must stay with you for life."_

"_That wasn't even the worst of it."_

"_What was?"_ Rose held her breath wondering if he remembered her.

"_I led a boat back to get survivors, I was going away when I heard a whistle, I followed the sound and I saw a woman, I pulled her in, she had a first class gown on and yet she was in the sea, I bundled her in blankets and prayed she would survive, she just muttered the whole way back to the carpathia something about jack, and boats and never letting go. I never understood what she was doing in the sea, being first class and all, and I never saw her on board carpathia she wasn't on the first class deck. To this day I wonder if she made it. And what her story was." _

Rose stepped forward. _"She made it." _

The officer stared at the lady he had seen in his dreams for the past ten years; she was there right in front of him, pregnant and certainly alive.

"_My name is Rose Calvert, Mrs Rose Calvert; I was seventeen when we first met. I went into the ocean with my true love, a steerage man, I was trying to leave my first class life behind, that's why I was in my fine clothes but in the ocean, I'm free now, I fell in love with a different man."_

"_That's why you were crying, you lost him didn't you?"_

"_Yes."_

"_So I presume for your heroic efforts you got a promotion?"_ The man smiled broadly

"_Captain now miss."_ Rose couldn't help herself she flung herself at the man and threw her arms round his neck.

"_Thank you"_ she whispered to him. _"Thank you for giving me a chance to give him his wish."_

The man hugged her back breathing in her scent, _"I will keep your secret, act like we never met."_

Rose smiled and he let her go, _"Good bye Captain Lowe." _

"_Wait miss" _

"_Yes?"_

"_What was your name then?"_

"_Between just me and you?"_

"Of course"

"Rose Dewitt Bukater, but please don't mention it."

He tipped his cap towards her as she faded once again into the darkness he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his old sailors cap, he stood at the stern and through his hat in.

"To the man that gave that young lady the strength to take those breaths and save herself."


End file.
